Two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso says he was hampered by a loss of straight-line performance in his Ferrari over the course of qualifying in Formula One at Bahrain, which led to him finishing Q3 in a lowly 10th place.

He will start ninth, however, as Daniel Ricciardo has a 10-place penalty. Nico Rosberg sits on the pole, with his Mercedes teammate, Lewis Hamilton, starting alongside him on the front row for the Sunday race.

Bahraini protesters put fire on barricades during clashes with riot police following a protest against the Formula One Grand Prix on April 19, 2013. (Photo: AFP/Getty Images)

Bahrain is planning tight security for this weekend’s Formula One race.

“The plans will be implemented based on our studies and the experience gained during the events of previous years,” said the Sakhir circuit’s head of security, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper.

Michael Schumacher has been at Grenoble Hospital in France since late December. (Photo: Getty Images)

A leading sports doctor says it could be true that Michael Schumacher will soon be moved from the hospital in Grenoble to his Swiss home.

Amid fading fears the F1 legend will ever emerge from his now more than three-month coma, it has been reported Schumacher’s wife Corinna is making arrangements for a multi-million dollar medical facility to be added to their house on Lake Geneva.